Faith Forward Dallas (via Facebook)

CORRECTION:

The authors of the letter were Rabbi David Stern and the Rev. Dr. George Mason of Wilshire Baptist Church.

ORIGINAL POST:

Faith Forward Dallas sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott about his decision to allow places of worship to open “based on the notion that government should not inhibit the free exercise of religion.”

Almas Muscatwalla, a founding member of Faith Forward Dallas, and chair of the Interfaith Council of the board of directors of The Thanks-giving Foundation, called the decision “premature and wrongheaded.” Pastors from most of the LGBT-affirming religious institutions in Dallas are members of Faith Forward Dallas.

“Religious liberty is not absolute, and the state has a compelling interest in the safety of its citizens,” Muscatwalla wrote in an email. “We take the perspective that trusting faith leaders to make the right decisions about these matters because they are faith leaders is overly optimistic and potentially dangerous.”

She and Rabbi David Stern, senior rabbi of Temple Emanu-el in Dallas, one of the largest synagogues in the U.S., wrote this letter:

24 April 2020

The Honorable Greg Abbott
Governor of Texas
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711

Dear Governor Abbott:

We write in strong support of the opening statement of the Updated Joint Guidance for Houses of Worship (UJG) you issued on April 21: “During these challenging times, government and faith communities throughout Texas need to work together to love our neighbors and slow the spread of Coronavirus.” The UJG later emphasizes the fundamental role faith communities can play: “Houses of worship should help slow the spread of the virus.”

We could not agree more. For us and countless of our colleagues, the strongest demonstration of our love for our neighbors and of our role in helping slow the spread of the virus is clear: stay closed. We affirm the spiritual and practical wisdom of suspending on-site activities until objective standards of public health and clear guidelines for safe gatherings have been established and fulfilled. As religious leaders we affirm both the essential value of our faith traditions and the life-saving wisdom of sound medical advice. Faith and science are partners, not competitors, in the common good.

In affirming the loving role of faith communities in slowing the spread of the virus, we reject the claim that continued closure is somehow an insult to religious faith and freedom. We find it unfortunate that we should be the ones to raise the alarm that the First Amendment is not absolute. Just as free speech does not permit someone to yell “fire” in a crowded theater, so freedom of religion does not permit us to endanger the lives of others by asserting our right to gather and serve as we wish. The state has a compelling interest in protecting citizens against the mistaken decisions some might make in exercising their religious liberty in these dangerous days of contagion. The recommendations provided in the form of the UJG cannot adequately ensure the health and wellbeing of Texans. We believe this situation is a rare example of how and when the free exercise of religion must be limited.

That said, our support for the continued closure of our buildings and suspension of our gatherings is in fact an expression of our faith:

  • Our faith leads us to compassionate concern for all members of society, and we know that staying closed saves lives.
  • Our faith leads us to acts of sacrifice, including the temporary sacrifice of familiar modes and places of prayer in order to contribute to public health and the public good.
  • Our faith warns us about idols, including the idols that even our physical houses of worship can become. Our buildings may be closed, but the hearts of the faithful continue to open: in prayer, in song, in study, in acts of compassion and the urge to justice. From the Israelites’ wandering to Jesus’s trials in the wilderness to Mohammed’s sacred pilgrimage, our traditions have never centered on the fixity of mortar and brick, but on the openness of the human heart.

To maintain community without physical gathering presents a profound challenge to us as religious leaders, but not an impossible one.  Across our city and our nation, communities of faith are responding with innovation and love. From the live-streaming of worship services to food ordering or delivery for people in quarantine to the simple act of congregants’ calling each other to check in, we are all learning new ways to affirm the interconnectedness that is God’s greatest gift to us all. We can practice our faith in this time by supporting protective measures and performing acts of lovingkindness toward healthcare workers and those who are anguished and despairing. Furthermore, many faith leaders have offered to use their facilities as testing sites when deemed appropriate in order to speed the recovery. And how deeply we find ourselves praying each day from our places of shelter in place. We have learned new ways to engage community and nurture the soul without endangering the health of our parishioners, neighbors and fellow citizens.

And who are our fellow citizens? While the virus itself makes no distinction based on class, religion, ethnicity or income, it has revealed once again the longstanding disparities in health and healthcare that unduly plague minority communities. The moral compass of each of our traditions urges us to care for the poor and vulnerable. Acting in their interest now should be our highest faith priority.

Some communities are endangered not just by the virus, but by prejudice and hate. Ramadan, the holiest month in the Muslim faith, has begun, a sacred time marked by daytime fasting and powerful prayer. Relaxing restrictions on religious gatherings at this time might lead to unsafe gatherings, and could also incite suspicions that Muslims are being treated more favorably than Jews and Christians, who had to refrain from public worship during Passover and Easter. If a second wave of coronavirus were to occur as a result, the already fragile place of Muslims in our free society will be worsened. We do not want to enflame bigotry when we should be engendering solidarity.

We all long to return to our houses of worship. But our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our communities takes precedence. We applaud the courageous steps you and other state and local officials have taken in keeping us safe. Don’t stop now. For our part, we will continue to pray in place: to the Creator who gives us life and hope, and for the wisdom and strength of all who lead us.